Clarington Eagles mired in six-game losing streak

Latest two losses came at hands of last-place Georgina Ice

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Notes

Scoring in the overtime loss were Greg St. James, Brent Hambly and Blane Gaudon. Hambly and Gaudon each added an assist for two-point nights ... Goaltender Keaton Dillon made 25 saves ... Goals Friday came from Josh Lucas and Hambly. Nick Keleher took the loss in goal ... Coach Ken Cain said he and the Eagles staff continue to evaluate the roster and if an opportunity presents itself to add a quality player they are likely to do so.

CLARINGTON -- The Clarington Eagles have hit a rough patch, but by no means are they preparing to hit the panic button.

After a pair of weekend losses to the last-place Georgina Ice in Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League action, the Eagles have fallen below the .500 mark for the first time this season, owners of a 6-7-3 mark through 16 games.

Coach Ken Cain admits to some frustration brewing as of late with the wins tough to come by, but noted the predominant feeling is more toward disappointing as the Eagles know they are a team capable of much more.

"I think more disappointment than anything else," he explains after being asked to describe the feeling around his struggling club. "They are all competitors and they want to be successful as a group. I think it's more disappointed than frustrating that things just aren't going our way right now."

Part of the reason for that is a lack of bodies. Cain says the team has been playing of late without full numbers due to injuries and other commitments, but is hopeful that situation will improve in the near future.

So while that element is out of control, a few things that could be in the club's control involve a lack of discipline at key times and small mental breakdowns that are costing the club at every corner.

The encouraging part is those are two elements that can be corrected.

"We've had bad penalties and we've had some mental breakdowns where we lapse for a little bit and other teams take advantage of it," Cain says. "That's part of being a young group and it's something they can hopefully learn from as we progress here."

The lack of discipline was on display on home ice Sunday in the second of the two losses to Georgina. Tied 3-3 in overtime, forward Craig Crowther was whistled for a boarding penalty and just 12 seconds later Georgina's Scott Sandercock ended the game with a power-play tally.

Two nights earlier the offence mustered just a pair of goals and it wasn't near enough in a 5-2 loss.

And while a stretch such as the one that the Eagles find themselves in is something they would prefer to endure at this time of year, rather than late in the season or in the playoffs, Cain knows they will have to turn things around soon.

Sitting in fourth place, Little Britain has moved just two points back, while Georgina, mired in the basement from the outset this season, is just five points in arrears.

Three of out their next four games will provide the Eagles with a chance to restore the breathing room they previously had on those two teams.

Clarington visits Georgina on Saturday, before returning home Sunday to face Uxbridge ahead of back-to-back games against Little Britain Nov. 25 and Dec. 1.

"I think we just have to get back to simplifying our game and doing the little things right," Cain said of what will get the Eagles back on track.